A state veterinarian ruled Monday that this leopard and four other exotic animals should remain under quarantine in case they have rabies.(Photo: Coutesy of the Columbus Zoo)

The only exotic animals to leave a Zanesville-area farm alive last year will remain at the Columbus Zoo under a state quarantine.

At least for now.

A state veterinarian on Monday cleared two leopards, two primates, and a bear of the infectious diseases for which they were quarantined last October. But the state is keeping them quarantined in case the animals have rabies.

The only way they can be tested for rabies is if they die.

Yesterday’s ruling came as an appeal to the quarantine was cancelled at the request of Marian Thompson, the widow of Terry Thompson. Police say he released nearly 50 other exotic animals before committing suicide at the Muskingum county farm.

Meanwhile, an Ohio Senate committee has planned a vote Tuesday on proposed rules for regulating exotic animals in Ohio.

The state Senate’s agriculture panel was expected to make changes to the bill, and then likely vote to send it to the full Senate. The two dozen proposed revisions include easing rules for snake ownership and decreasing requirements for property warning signs.

The measure would ban new ownership of exotic animals while allowing current owners to keep their pets by obtaining a new state-issued permit by 2014 and meeting other strict conditions.